Policy change allows guns on school property

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - A new Georgia gun law went into effect July 1 of last year, but on Wednesday, the Savannah Chatham School District updated their weapons policy to allow guns on school property with certain stipulations.

"I think this is a bad law and I don't understand why it was put into place," Superintendent Thomas Lockamy said.

According to the new state law, visitors or staff may bring a weapon on campus as long as it is locked in a compartment in their car and they have a concealed weapons permit.

The law is clear – no guns are allowed inside the schools and students are never allowed to bring guns to school.

Lockamy still isn't convinced it's a good law.

"Even though it is locked in your trunk or locked away…how long does it take me to take my car key and open whatever I want to? I think it's a stupid law," Lockamy said.

Kayton Smith owns The Gun Shop on Eisenhower Drive. He says the new law will actually make schools safer.

"To declare a school a gun free zone…that's just inviting someone who does have a gun who has malicious intent to go in and do something like we saw at Virginia Tech," Smith said.

Smith says the policy chance will make life a lot easier for parents who carry guns.

"Why should someone have to go all the way back to Wilmington Island, put the gun in the house, just so they can pick their child up at elementary school," Smith said.

The district says they will still do random school searches for students and they want to make it clear no student is allowed to bring a weapon to school.